Sprinkler system



July 19, 1927.

M. F. SILVA SPRINKLER SYSTEM Filed May e, 1926 lwenor.'

Patented `luly 19, 1927. y

UNITED sTA TiasN MICHAEL F. SILVA, oF HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPRINKLER SYSTEM.

Application led May 6, 1926. 7 Serial No.-107,060. i

kept open by a soluble member which is adapted to be dissolved by water discharged from said head and release mechanism which will close the valve, other means being provided for retaining the valve closed until a predetermined heat is reached, when the valve will be released again to permit it to be reopened.

This object is attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, one preferred form thereof is illustrated in the drawings, this forni having been found to give satisfactory and reliable results, although' it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement andV organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described except as required by the scope of the appended claims.

. Of the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a side. elevation of a sprinkler head embodying the principles ofy the present invention. Y

Figure 2 represents a front elevation of same, a portion thereof being shown in section.

Figure 3 represents a vertical section of same on line 3, 3, on Fig. 2.

Figure 4 represents a vertical section of the main valve on line 4, 4 on Fig. 3, and

Figure 5 represents an elevation of the weighted arm. A

Similar characters indicate like parts throughout the figures of the drawing.

In the drawings 10 is a water supply pipe having in the'line thereof a coupling 1 1 lprovided with a branch 12 to `which is threaded one end of a valve casing 13 to the opposite end of which is secured a sprinkler head 14 of usual construction. u

The valve Vcasing 13 has an oscillating valve plug 15 therein provided `with a dia-y metrical passage 16, one end of which is adapted, under normal conditions, to register with the passage 17 in the sprinkler head 14, while the other end, at the sameV time, will register' with the passage 18 in the branch 12 of the pipe coupling 11. j

In other words under normal conditions the valve 15 is open, permitting the water in pipe 10 to freely flow to the sprinkler head 14.

Thepassage 17 in this head 14 is closed by the member 19 retained in position by 'the plates 20, 21 connected together bya vfusible metal connection 22 which is adapted'to melt at a predetermined heat and break the connection between the plates 20, 21 thus permitting the force of the water in the passage 17 to remove the member 19 from its seat.

.cause thewater to be dischargedthrough the sprinkler head and thus put` out the fire. Under ordinary conditions, the water will continue to bel discharged after the lire is Y out with the consequence that very lmuch damage will beV caused by water and very little by fire.

To prevent this yunnecessary damage to property by waterr is thev object of the present invention, and this desired result is accomplished vby the following mechanism. To one end of the oscillating valve plug 15 is secured any arm 24 having a weight 25 atl one sideiof its upper end, this arm being iiorn'ially inralsed position and slightly off center as shown in the drawings.

The arm 24 consists in part of a tube prolvided with a plurality of -perforations 26 and extending upwardly in said tube is a fixed rod 27, the lower end of which is secured to the valve'casing 13. f

The lower end of the tube 24 has inwardly extending shoulders 28 on which normally rests a soluble locking member 29 formed of 'metallic calciufm. oi" other material which waterwill dissolve and which retains the arm 24Y infits normal raised position.

VThis locking member 29 is preferablyannular andsurrounding the fixed rod 27 iests upon the shoulders 28.

These annular f members 29 are made of sufficient thickness tomaintain the weight of the valve arm 24 and weight 25. It is 4vproposedto construct the members 29 so that an individual unit, when the'water strikes it, will dissolveand allowthe weight 25 to drop the valve arm.' after a definite kinterval of Uil time and more than diie unitmay beus'ed if it is desired to increase the interval of time between the fusion of member 22 and the rotation of the valve.

Vhere atmospheric'conditions are likely to afford high humidity, it is proposed `to coat the calcium units with a layer of glue or cellulose thick enough to keep the calcium dry underA normal c :onditions andy thin enough to dissolveialmostinstantly when 'wet with a stream of water.

The wall of the ytube or arm-24 has a slot 30, of a width considerablyless than, the diameter of the member, 29 extending lengthwise of said tube and through vwhich the rod27 inaypass when the tube or arm 24 is unlocked and permitted to move downwardly. Y .Y

Theupper end of the tubular arm 24gi's curved inwardly toward the`disk'23,'as at 31,

andrlportions of the water discharged'from Vthe head 14 will strike the curved part 31 and will 'be diverted downwardly onto the soluble locking member 29. Y

Vhen a fire occurs and the heat therefrom fuses the connection 22, thereby permitting thc member 19 to be removed from its seat,

the water .passing through 4the valve casing 13 will strike the cup-shaped disk 23 and be diverted `in every direction.

Some of this water thusdischarged will 4pass through the perforations26 and contact with the locking member 29 causing it to dissolve.

As soon asthe'member 29jhasv dissolved,

'the weight, 25 will cause the arm` 24 to move downwardly, the .'slot 30 passing over the fixed rod 27 during the initial lowering movementof the arm 24.

In thepath jof'the arm V24is a fusible lug 32 and when the arm 24 has moved downwardly a distance sufficient to move the plug I 15 into closed position, said arm willgcome into contact with this lug 32 which will prevent 'further downward movement of the said arm. Y

As a consequence, when an incipient tire is started and the metal 22 is fused the sprinkler head will operate to discharge water thereon for a limited periodfof time,

that is, whilethe locking member is being dissolved, and while the arm '24 is moving downwardly into contact with the lug 32.

When the'arm24 has come into contact withithe lug '3'2,`the valve 15 will be closed land ifiwater sufficient to extinguish the fire has been discharged, it will remain closed and no more watercanbe 'discharged from thesprinkler head, thereby saving considerable property damage from water. Y

If the re `has not been extinguished the increased'heat will-fusethe lug 32 and release the varm 24 so that it can drop into a vertical position and in so doing again o en the valve 15 permitting a continuous ow of water from the sprinkler until the fire has been extinguished and the water supply to, pipe 10 is cut oii.

'lt must be understood "that the lug 32 is made of material which will only fuse at a V:greater heat than that which will fuse the metal connection 22.

lf the tire is s'ointense at the start that the lug32 will be fused before the arm 24 starts on its downward movement, said arm 'will not be retarded in movement but will move ,from tits highest positionto its lowest position without any stop. l The lower end ofthe tubular arm 24 has a V,cup-shaped portion 83 fitting over the valve stem 34 to which said arm 24 is secured byset screw 35. l y ,Thelvalve stem 34 has a squared end 36 which tits into square openingin'the wall Si? of the arm 24. Y

nlug 38 formed onthe vend of easing 13, by reacting with a projection 39 ontheiarm 2,4, limits the upward movement of the arm 24, said p projection 39 on the downward movement'of arm `contaetin'g with Athe fusible lug 32 and remains Vin contact therewith untii said lug has been fused andremoved from the path of said arm.

By means of this mechanism Va Igiven amount of water may be discharged upon 'an incipient iire before the supply is cutoff and if this is, insufficient to entinguish the fire a further and continuous rsupply of water may be discharged upon said tire.

lt is believed that the operation and many advantages `ofthe invention will be fully understood without furtherdescription.

Having thus described my invention, I claim,r

1, The combination sprinkler head therefor adapted to be opened at a predetermined heat;V a valve interposed between said pipe and head and normally open; a weighted armforinoving said valve to close it andlby its continued movement again open Isaid valve; soluble means for retaining saidarm in raised position, said means being positioned to ybe acted upon by water.disclnirged from said head'whereby to dissolve said means andreleaser said arm iandperinit itto move downwardly and close the valve; and ya-'member to stop the: downward movement ofthe arm when the valve has been closed, ysaid'iiin'nber beingremovable from theipath of said arm at a heat greater than that-'necessary to open the, head thereby permittingr further 'downward movement of said arm to reopen charge water; a valve interposed between said pipe and head and normally open; a weighted arm for movingsaid valve'to close of a supply pipe; a

it and by its continued movement again open said valve, said arm including a tubular member; soluble means in said tubular member to retain said arm in raised position under normal conditions and positioned toV be acted upon by water discharged from said head whereby to dissolve said means and thereby release said arm and permit itvto move downwardly and close the valve; and means to stop the arm when Vthe valve'has been closed adapted at a predetermined heat greater than that necessary to open the head to be so acted upon as to permit further downward movement of the arm and the reopening of said valve.

3. The combination of a supply pipe; a sprinkler head therefor having a fusible connection adapted to be released at a preda termined heat to open said head; a valve interposed between'said pipe and head and normally open; an arm secured to the stem of said valve and normally off center, said arm having extendinglengthwise thereof a perforated tube; van immovable rod extending into said tube and having disposed thereon a locking ring of soluble `material positioned to restrain said tube, which ring 'when dissolved permits said arm to move downwardly and close the valve; and means to stop the downward movement yof said arm when said valve has been closed, said stopping means at a heat greater than that necessary to open the head, being adapted to be removed from the path of said arm thereb v permitting further downward movement of the arm and the reopening of the valve.

Ll. The combination of a supply pipe; a sprinkler head therefor having a fusible connection adapted to be released at a redetermined heat to open said head; a va ve interposed between said pipe and head and nordownward movement* and a fusible member 7 to stop the downward movement of said arm when said valve has been closed, said member when fused permittingI further downward movement of the arm and the reopening of the valve. l

'5. The combination of asupply pipe; a sprinkler headtherefor having a fusible connection adapted to be released at a predetermined heat to open .said head; a valve interposed between said pipe and head and normally open; an arm secured to vthe stem of said valve and normally olf center; soluble means for locking said arm in normal raised position and permitting when dissolved, the downward movement of said arm to close the valve; and means to stop the downward movement of said arm when said valve has been closed, said means, at a heat greater than that necessary to open the head, beingV adapted to release said arm, thereby permit` ting further downward movement of the arm and the reopening of the valve.

Signed by me at 746 Old South Bldg.,V

Boston, Mass.;` this 5th day of May; 1926.

MICHAEL F. SILVAA 

